Friday, April 21, 2017

I bet fava beans would be a lot more popular if people knew
how to cook them, or even what they were. For many people, these are just those
mysterious, semi-scary, oversized green beans that they’re not sure what to do
with.

Which is a shame, since they’re not only delicious, and easy
to prepare, but also very versatile. Fava beans shine in salads, and pastas, as
well as on pizzas.The also, as I
demonstrated the end of the video, make for a wonderful spread.

By the way, the ingredient amounts below are pure guesses,
since this is not the kind of recipe we're going to measure stuff for. Let your
conscience be your guide, but remember what we're eating is inside that
charred pod, so season generously.

Fava beans should be readily available this time of year,
especially at farmers markets, where they tend to be much cheaper that your
high-end grocery stores. Regardless of where you find them, I really do hope
you give this great bean, and even better technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 pounds whole fava beans

olive oil, as needed

2 lemons

1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided

3 whole, peeled, bruised garlic cloves

red pepper flakes to taste

2 tablespoons freshly sliced mint leaves

- Grill over high heat for about five minutes per side, or
until the pods are soft and charred, and the beans inside are just tender.

WARNING: Some people have an allergy to fava beans. Make sure you don't.

I share your love of the fava bean, I hope to try this if I can find some. By the way have you ever tried roasted-salted fava beans as a snack? If you like that sort of thing, you should give them a try, they usually seem to be called 'broad beans' on their various packagings. Find them at an Asian grocery shop.